bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Lawrence Chung

Taiwanese Vice-President William Lai Ching-te has named Hsiao Bi-khim, the island’s de facto ambassador to the US, as his running mate in the January presidential election.
The decision by Lai, the presidential front runner from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, is expected to rile Beijing, which has denounced Hsiao as a “diehard secessionist” and sanctioned her twice.
The pairing was hailed by politicians from the ruling DPP as a “perfect match” that would bolster Lai’s chances even further.
The announcement came as the island’s two main opposition parties failed to agree on a joint candidate to challenge Lai.
Taiwan’s opposition set for last-ditch talks on joint presidential ticket
“I believe Bi-khim is definitely the best person when it comes to Taiwan’s foreign work today and she is also a rare diplomatic talent,” Lai said on Facebook on Monday.
He said Hsiao had helped improve the island’s ties with Washington in recent years, and her performance had been praised not only in Taiwan and the US but also in wider international society.
Ties between the US and Taiwan have been on the rise since Hsiao became the island’s de facto ambassador to Washington in 2020.
The United States has remained the island’s informal ally and biggest arms supplier. Like most countries, it does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state but is opposed to any unilateral change of the cross-strait status quo.
Lai said the choice was not only “in line with the public’s expectation, but is also the best decision”.
“I am confident that, together with Bi-khim, we will succeed in the final 50 days to forge the consensus among the people and unite all forces to win the election,” he said.


Announcing the ticket on Monday afternoon, Lai said the world was closely watching the island’s presidential race.
“The world wants to know if Taiwanese people choose to trust Taiwan and carry on with its democratic path or to rely on China and adopt a pro-China stand to once again confine itself to China,” he said.
He asked the island’s voters to give him and Hsiao a chance, saying Taiwan needed a firm and experienced leader to continue to promote democracy, peace, and prosperity rather than pursue an “experimental political system”.
He was referring to a proposal by the main opposition Kuomintang and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party to form a coalition government if they jointly won the January 13 election.
The two opposition parties planned to form a joint ticket on Saturday and decide on candidates for president and vice-president based on an aggregate of opinion polls. But they failed to settle on a joint candidate after disagreeing about how to interpret the polls.
The next day, TTP chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je said at a campaign rally outside Taipei that he would “continue to fight to the end in his capacity as the presidential candidate” of his party, suggesting that talks with the KMT might collapse.
In response, KMT presidential candidate and New Taipei mayor Hou Yu-ih said on Monday that he respected whatever decision Ko made and would “firmly walk on my road to win the election”.
US Taiwan envoy makes third trip to island ahead of presidential elections
Most opinion polls show that a joint ticket headed by either Hou or Ko would fare well against Lai and Hsiao.
Hsiao, who resigned as Taiwan’s representative to the US earlier on Monday, said she decided to accept Lai’s offer because of the “difficult challenges” the island had faced from Beijing.
Beijing views the island as its territory that must be reunited by force if necessary.
Hsiao said Beijing had continuously tried to change the cross-strait status quo.
“The whole world hopes for maintenance of the cross-strait status quo, but the other side of the Taiwan Strait has continued to change it by sending warplanes and warships to disrupt the order and interfere in Taiwan’s elections,” she said.
“Facing such difficult situations, there is no room for me to shun my [responsibility],” she said, adding it was her duty to fight for the island’s interests.
Hsiao, 52, has been blacklisted and sanctioned twice by Beijing for “colluding with the US” and “provoking confrontation” between Taiwan and the mainland.
Last week Beijing, which views Lai as a pro-independence activist, described the expected Lai-Hsiao ticket as a “union of separatists”, adding the pairing was dangerous as it could “mean war for Taiwan”.
Hsiao was born in Japan to a Taiwanese father and American mother. She previously worked in the office of former president Chen Shui-bian, also from the DPP.
She later worked as a DPP lawmaker for several terms and was appointed by incumbent Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen as the island’s representative to the US in 2020.


Momentum for peaceful reunification across Taiwan Strait is growing

Beijing warns Japan against giving a platform to ‘Taiwan independence’ with Tsai’s visit

China tracks US, British warships on Taiwan Strait transit

Mainland China says Taiwan’s failed recall vote shows how ‘political manipulation’ failed

Taiwan election 2024

Taiwan’s presidential front runner William Lai picks de facto envoy to US as running mate

Taiwanese presidential hopeful William Lai Ching-te says running mate Hsiao Bi-khim (right) is a “rare diplomatic talent” who has helped strengthen the island’s ties with Washington. Photo: AFP

Taiwan elections: KMT-TPP joint presidential ticket talks break down over technicality

Taiwan People’s Party chairman Ko Wen-je is disputing the method for deciding who will head a joint presidential ticket with the KMT in next year’s election. Photo: CNA

Taiwan elections: opposition parties to hold last-ditch talks on joint ticket as registration deadline looms

KMT presidential candidate, Hou Yu-ih (left) will be present at Wednesday’s talks on the selection of a candidate. Photo: CNA

Ko Wen-je, chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party and presidential candidate, has been polling better than the KMT’s candidate. Photo: AFP

Foxconn boss Terry Gou has secured enough signatures to run as an independent. Photo: Bloomberg

Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou joins push to form joint opposition ticket in next year’s presidential election

Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou, centre, urged the KMT to agree to the smaller party’s proposal. Photo: AFP

Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou, centre, urged the KMT to agree to the smaller party’s proposal. Photo: CNA

 Vice-President William Lai is currently ahead of his two main rivals in the polls. Photo: Reuters

Ko Wen-je, is running for the smaller Taiwan People’s Party. Photo: AFP

Hou Yu-ih, the KMT’s candidate, has said he hopes the two sides will be able to reach a deal soon. Photo: AFP

Taiwan elections: could presidential divide upend KMT-TPP deal to team up against DPP?

Eric Chu (left)  and Ko Wen-je have agreed that the KMT and TPP will contest legislative elections on a joint platform. Photo: CNA

Latest Taiwan election survey is more bad news for Tsai Ing-wen’s ruling DPP

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s  approval rating in October slipped to 36.5 per cent from last month’s 38.4 per cent, her worst polling since April 2019, according to a new survey. Photo: EPA-EFE 

Taiwanese Vice-President William Lai is still the election front runner, but his lead continues to slip according to polls. Photo: Reuters

News

China

Politics

Hsiao Bi-khim named as vice-presidential candidate in pairing hailed as ‘perfect match’ by ruling DPP, while opposition fails to agree on joint ticket
Beijing, which has sanctioned Hsiao and denounced her as ‘diehard secessionist’, says decision could ‘mean war for Taiwan’


Hsiao Bi-khim named as vice-presidential candidate in pairing hailed as ‘perfect match’ by ruling DPP, while Beijing denounces her as ‘diehard secessionist’ and says decision could ‘mean war for Taiwan’.


Taiwan

William Lai Ching-te